24 Days until NY early voting starts! Just a few more weeks to help reach our fellow voters
17 Days Until No Kings 4
24 Days Until Early Voting Starts
33 Days Until Election Day
“What Should I Be Doing Now?”
Hi Friends,
It can be overwhelming to read this newsletter each week and see all the different events but not be able to figure out what’s most important or even possible to do, given constraints of time, health, and resources. Maybe you see it arrive in your inbox and don’t even have time to click it open. Maybe you scroll through and can’t figure out how to plug in with people who are near you or share your interests. Maybe you’re just overwhelmed by the options and it’s easier to click delete. We get it.
And yet this election is too important to sit on the sidelines, far too important to do only the bare minimum of voting. All of us who care about democracy and making people’s material circumstances better (not to mention civil rights and the rule of law!) need to reach beyond our own ballot, beyond our own families and friend circles, to persuade others in our community to vote.
We can’t stop authoritarianism unless we have a clear and decisive vote against the autocrats. And that means getting more of our neighbors who care about democracy and justice and affordability and stopping Trump corruption to vote.
Remember: Defending democracy and “justice for all” is why you decided to become a political activist in the first place.
You don’t have to do everything.
Pick an action or two in these final critical weeks, and show up.
We are especially in need of creative people and other volunteers to make No Kings 4 a powerful local action to get out the early vote and prepare for any post election protection actions.
We need a lot more people knocking doors (or calling voters) because the most effective electoral work is direct voter contact where you have a personal conversation where the result can be collected and used for getting out the vote.
–Jen D. IMV Steering Committee
IMV October Meeting: Get Ready for Early Voting!
We’re meeting in person one more time before the 2026 midterm election to get ready for the final stretch.
Wednesday, October 7, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Schuyler Commons, 1776 Independence Square, Utica
We’ll be doing hands-on preparation for Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts, including practicing voter conversations, writing postcards for NY21 and NY22, and making signs and materials for No Kings 4: Vote Early events on October 17. There will also be time to connect, socialize, and decide what you want to do next.
Postcard Parties!
IMV Postcard Party
Friday, Oct. 2, 3:00–5:45 p.m.
New Hartford Public Library
2 Library Lane, New Hartford
Twenty-one volunteers attended last week and were able to complete 500 postcards in 2½ hours. Let’s keep the energy going!
Rome Postcard Party
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2:00 p.m.
Rome Dem HQ
209 N. Washington Street, Rome
Join other volunteers to write postcards to newly registered voters in the Rome area to ask them to vote early and vote for Blake Gendebien and Jon Lipe.
Can you host a postcard party for NY-21?
You just need 90 minutes and space at a local library, coffee shop, kitchen table, or other meet-up spot. We’ll provide simple instructions for volunteers, along with 100 color postcards and labels. IMV will gather all the cards and mail them before the start of Early Voting.
Volunteers who attend are encouraged to donate postcard stamps. They’re expensive, so the more people who can donate a book of stamps, the better.
To set up an IMV postcard party for Blake Gendebien:
IMV@indivisiblemv.org
Good company, good conversation, and a little democracy in action. One of last week's postcard parties!
Act Now to Ride the Train with Blake!
Sunday, October 4, 12:00–3:30 p.m.
Join Blake Gendebien for a special afternoon aboard the Richfield Springs Scenic Railway!
The Congressional Limited will offer half-hour express train trips from noon to 3:00 p.m., with departures every 30 minutes. The last train leaves at 3:00 p.m.
Reservations are required, and seating is limited to 30 people per train. Be sure to specify your preferred departure time when you reserve your seat.
The railway’s Tavern Lounge car will be open throughout the day, and open-air cars will offer a short tour of Lackawanna Trail Park.
To reserve your seat:
Email Joe Kish at joe@blakeforny.com or reserve your seat here.
For train information, call 315-717-5969.
Canvassing Is Voter Education!
Face-to-face conversations can help people feel more connected to the democratic process and more informed about how and when to vote.
We are thrilled to see all the upcoming door-knocking opportunities available from the NY21 and NY22 coordinated campaigns in Utica and Rome. From those two locations, we want to knock as many doors as we can in Oneida County to talk to voters about voting early.
✅ Canvass in NY21 from the Rome office
Weekend shifts are available, along with Tuesday–Thursday options.
Rome Door Knocking!
✅ Canvass in NY22 from the Utica office
Weekend canvassing is available on Saturdays and Sundays.
Canvass for NY Dems in Utica
✅ Prefer to call from home?
Virtual phonebanking is available for both districts:
NY21: Make Calls to Democratic Voters in Rome!
Make Calls to Democratic Voters in Rome! · Stand Up America
NY22: Utica Virtual Phone Bank with NY Dems!
Utica Virtual Phone Bank with NY Dems! · Stand Up
Want to canvass in your own town?
Contact the appropriate campaign office to request a walk or drive list near you:
NY21 / Rome: Lauren LaForest — laforest@nydems.org
NY22 / Utica: Lybille Rocher — rocher@nydems.org
New to canvassing? Make sure you have the MiniVAN app on your phone before you head out. It gives you your assigned voter list, walking route, household information, and lets you record results at the door.
❌👑 No Kings 4: Vote Early!
We are now officially excited about October 17 — No Kings 4, the nationwide day of action for Early Voting!
Because New York does not begin early voting until October 24, local events will focus on helping people register to vote, make a voting plan, commit to voting early, and learn about voter-protection resources.
The goals of No Kings 4 are:
Get voters excited about voting early and help them commit to doing it.
Help people prepare for voter-protection efforts, including making sure voters have the Voter Hotline number available
Rome — No Kings: Vote Early
Saturday, October 17, 12:00–1:30 p.m.
Fort Stanwix, Rome
This event will include a sidewalk honk-and-wave with signs such as “Vote Early” and “Make Your Voice Heard.” Tables will be available where people can check their voter registration or register to vote, and participants will be invited to sign a large Commit to Vote Early board.
Register to attend
We need volunteers to help! Email IMV@IndivisibleMV.org if you can help.
Utica — No Kings: Vote Early
Saturday, October 17, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Proctor Park, Utica
Participants will help form a large “VOTE EARLY” message in the park. Aerial video and photos will be taken by drone and used on social media to promote Early Voting locally.
Herkimer — No Kings: Vote Early
A No Kings: Early Voting event is also planned for the afternoon of October 17.
Details and Mobilize link coming soon.
Prepare for Election Protection
Thursday, October 1 at 8:00 p.m.
Election Protection 201 training from the No Kings coalition, focused on sustained mobilization and rapid-response work. No prior training is required.
Sunday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Hands Off Our Vote livestream featuring Mark Ruffalo, Robert De Niro, and Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin, focused on election protection and preparation for the midterms.
No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.
❌👑
Volunteer at the Utica or Rome Campaign Office
Volunteers are needed at both the Utica and Rome Democratic campaign offices during regular office hours. When volunteers staff the offices, paid campaign staff are free to knock doors and do other campaign work.
Office volunteers may:
Answer phones
Prepare mailings and canvassing materials
Greet and sign in walk-in volunteers
Help keep the offices open as many hours as possible
Utica Democratic HQ (NY22)
Lybille Rocher
rocher@nydems.org
857-346-4655
Rome Democratic HQ (NY21)
Lauren LaForest
laforest@nydems.org
315-335-3226
There’s also a large box of postcards at the Utica office that needs labels applied for voters receiving information about Jon Lipe. To help with that project, contact Steven Anderson at Steven@LipeforAssembly.com.
Congressman Jamie Raskin & John Mannion — Live and In Person!
Saturday, October 17, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m.
Wildcat Athletic Center
18 Liberty Street, Cazenovia
Congressman Jamie Raskin and Congressman John Mannion will appear in person for a midterm discussion hosted by the Madison County Democratic Committee.
Tickets: $25
Purchase tickets here
IMV to Be Honored at NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner
Indivisible Mohawk Valley has been named a Community Honoree by the NAACP Oneida County Branch and will be recognized at its 2026 Annual Freedom Fund Dinner on Sunday, November 1.
Our longtime social justice and political activism ally, Citizen Action of CNY, is the other Community Honoree. IMV activist and artist Teresa Van Etten is one of the individual honorees, along with Rev. Sharon Baugh, who spoke at our 2025 Good Trouble Lives On event.
NAACP Oneida County Branch Freedom Fund Dinner
Sunday, November 1, 3:00–6:00 p.m.
Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Five Points Public House and Events Center
623 Columbia Street
Early-bird tickets are available through October 1 and are $70 for adults and $50 for youth. After October 1, prices increase to $75 for adults and $55 for youth. Tickets include admission to the dinner and a one-year NAACP membership.
Tickets are available through October 19 and must be purchased in advance.
National Coming Out Day LGBTQIA+ Rally in Rome
Please join Oneida County Pride Alliance, IMV, and Rome Concerned Citizens to honor Coming Out Day by attending the Rome LGBTQIA+ Rights Rally on Saturday, October 10 at noon at Fort Stanwix.
Oneida County Democrats Reception Honoring Congressman John Mannion
Wednesday, October 14, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Hart’s Hill Inn, Whitesboro
Join the Oneida County Democrats for a reception honoring Congressman John Mannion.
Shine Bright for Democracy
Support the Herkimer County Democratic Committee at a cocktail reception with local candidates.
Thursday, October 8, 6:00–8:30 p.m.
The Barn at Miner’s Village
4626 State Route 28, North Herkimer
